Someone New
by St. Minority
Summary: Returning home after several months of being abroad, Edgeworth learns there's someone new in Phoenix's life, though not quite in the way he had prepared for. One-Shot. Phoenix/Edgeworth, Trucy. Hurt/comfort, m/m, angst


**Title:** Someone New  
**Rating: **M  
**Pairings/Characters: **hinted Phoenix/Miles, Trucy  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything Ace Attorney, characters, etc., all belong to their respective creators.  
**Warnings**: m/m, angst, suicidal thoughts  
**Summary: **Returning home after several months of being abroad, Edgeworth learns there is someone new in Phoenix's life, though not quite in the way he had prepared for.

**A/N: **Inspired by a fanart I saw on Pinterest of Phoenix and Edgeworth sitting on the couch, Edgeworth asking "How did this happen?" and Trucy peeking from around the corner at them. I didn't save the link. :(

I also didn't expect this to get as heavy as it did...At least there's some fluff sprinkled in. :) Drop a line if you like!

* * *

It had been seven months since he was last in the country. During that time, he'd only spoken to Phoenix on about five separate occasions, at most. It wasn't due to lack of trying. On the contrary, he'd called multiple times and left messages that were never returned. He even tried sending postcards, hoping to receive a response from any one of them, but nothing ever came. He thought it strange, considering Phoenix had been the one to chastise him about not reaching out more often whenever he was away. The absence of communication made him wonder if the other man had finally found someone else to be interested in, which he couldn't blame him for. Their relationship wasn't necessarily complicated, but it wasn't typical, either.

Lifting his phone to his ear, Edgeworth hoped his closest friend would answer. He wanted to see him, to ask why he had been so quiet, catch up on anything that'd happened while he was away, and to physically show how much he'd missed him.

"Hello?"

The prosecutor smiled, thankful to hear the familiar voice. "Long time, no talk, old friend."

"Miles!" was the delighted response. "Yeah, sorry about that. Things have been a little….chaotic."

"Is everything alright?"

"I guess you could say that."

"I expect to hear all about it. You've grown awfully distant. I've been worried about you."

There was a sigh, followed by an unconvincing, "I'm okay. Just a lot of change."

"Change?" He braced himself for the reveal that there was indeed someone new in Phoenix's life.

"Yeah."

Frowning from the lack of explanation, he offered, "Well, I just landed-"

"You did?! Damn it, I can't believe I forgot you were coming back today. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. Are you free tonight?"

"Um….Yeah. Is ten too late for you? I'm sure you're tired from the long flight-"

"I can take a nap," he interjected more eagerly than he'd intended. "I want to see you." He neglected to mention the more explicit desires he wished to fulfill.

"I'd love to see you too. I'm already looking forward to it."

"As am I."

"I moved to a different apartment while you were gone, so I'll text you the address."

"Oh?" he said, surprised. "Alright then."

There was a loud _crash _in the background on Phoenix's end, prompting him to hurriedly say, "I gotta go. I'll see you tonight."

"Alright then."

"Bye."

He heard Phoenix yell something before the line went dead, though couldn't discern what it was.

_What is going on?_ he thought uneasily. _He's hiding something._

* * *

It was a quarter to ten when Edgeworth approached the door. He was hoping the other man was home since he'd made it seem like he had plans prior to their meetup. Knocking lightly, he almost didn't believe that he was in the right place, for he heard a little girl's voice exclaim, "We have company!" When he heard Phoenix's reply, "Not '_we_.' _You_ need to be going to bed, missy," he _still _wasn't sure if he was at the right place.

The door opened shortly after, and Edgeworth felt an overwhelming abundance of happiness, longing, and confusion. Phoenix was dressed incredibly casually, wearing a pair of plaid pajama pants and a gray t-shirt, compared to the prosecutor's more formal button-down shirt and black slacks. His face looked a bit gaunt, and he appeared tired and had an air of grief to him, despite the cheerful grin he had at the sight of his friend.

"Miles! I'm so glad you're back," he greeted enthusiastically. He wrapped his arms around the other man to hug him and asked, "Any trouble finding the place?"

Returning the gesture with one arm, Edgeworth was surprised to feel that he was indeed noticeably thinner. Deciding not to comment, he replied with, "Not at all. I hope I'm not interrupting something. I wasn't sure what you were doing before meeting with me." He longed to kiss him, even if it was nothing more than a peck on the lips, yet Phoenix was already pulling away and stepped aside to let him in.

"It's okay. I was hoping to have her in bed before you got here, that's all."

_Her? _he thought, bewildered. His eyes settled on the little girl who rushed to stand next to Phoenix and assumed she was the one he'd heard earlier.

"Trucy, this is Miles Edgeworth," Phoenix introduced politely. "We've known each other for a long time and he's a very good friend of mine."

"Hello!" she said cheerily.

"I…." Edgeworth shook his head slightly to clear the shock away and managed to respond, "Hello, Miss Trucy."

"She was just going to bed, weren't you?" Phoenix questioned playfully, swooping her up into his arms.

"But I want to stay up and have fun too!" she pouted.

"Another time, I promise." Turning his attention to Edgeworth, he noticed the bottle in his hand and asked, "Do you want me to put that in the fridge?"

"No, that's alright."

"I'll grab a couple of glasses when I come back. I'm going to get her settled down and tucked in. I shouldn't be too long. Make yourself at home, okay?"

Edgeworth nodded dumbly, still in the process of figuring out what to make of the situation.

"Don't keep daddy up too late, Mr. Miles!" Trucy called out, giving a farewell wave before Phoenix turned the corner into the short hallway.

Edgeworth's eyes widened and he thought his heart stopped. He nearly dropped the bottle of wine, his utter disbelief rooting him to the spot.

_Daddy? Phoenix Wright is….a _father_? That can't be. He's never mentioned there even being a possibility of him having a child. Is he dating someone and this is their daughter? What in god's name is going on?!_

By some miracle, he found the motion return to his limbs and decided to follow after the pair several minutes later. His emotions and thoughts were on overdrive, moving from one to the other at a rapid pace – anger, disappointment, dejection, puzzlement, alarm, affection.

Moving away from the tiny kitchen and living room area, Edgeworth found the small hallway that contained three doors: on the left was a bathroom, the end a bedroom, and to his right, he assumed another bedroom for Trucy due to the sound of Phoenix's voice and the soft light visible from the nearly closed entrance. Peering through the crack, he spotted Trucy lying in her bed, her eyelids heavy though still resisting sleep, and Phoenix sitting on the edge beside her reading a book. The words were unimportant, but the image of his dear friend in such a way was quite powerful. He'd never once imagined Phoenix being in a paternal role, nor did he ever expect to observe him displaying such care and love for a child. His heart ached not from jealousy, but from sadness. He'd been gone for seven long months, and it was quite apparent that much had occurred within that time. It was hurtful that the other man hadn't bothered speaking to him about it, making him feel as if Phoenix had no consideration for him whatsoever and caused him to doubt his significance in his friend's life.

_What happened, Phoenix?_

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Phoenix reappeared in the kitchen, fetched a couple of glasses from the cabinet, and then crossed the area to take a seat next to Edgeworth on the couch.

"Sorry it took so long," he apologized, setting the glasses on the table in front of them. "Sometimes she goes down right away and other nights, she really fights it."

Edgeworth was silent as he poured the wine.

"Thanks for bringing this. I've definitely been needing all the alcohol I can get lately," he said with a light laugh. He glanced at his company while taking several sips, noting the stone-faced expression the man bore, prompting his anxiety to rise in turn. He knew he was going to have to come clean about everything eventually but was still dreading it all the same. If he could postpone it for as long as he could, he was definitely going to try. "How was your flight?"

"Long," Edgeworth finally spoke.

"And the trip itself?"

There was a pause before the prosecutor set his glass down, signaling to Phoenix that the discussion would indeed be turning his direction. He began shaking imperceptibly, his mouth went dry, and his throat felt like it was constricting. He didn't dare meet the man's gaze from fear that he would burst into tears.

"Phoenix," Edgeworth stated evenly. "What the hell happened while I was away? You moved. You have a little girl who calls you 'daddy.' You barely spoke to me during my time abroad. What happened?"

Chugging what remained in his glass, Phoenix smiled awkwardly and said softly, "I'm not sure where to even begin, Miles. I still haven't processed it all yet myself."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I hope that's true." _Okay, here goes, _he mentally prepared himself. He took a deep breath, released it slowly, and confessed, "I'm not a defense attorney anymore."

Edgeworth almost didn't believe he'd heard him correctly; however, the despondency in Phoenix's eyes was unmistakable. "You can't be serious," he commented, knowing full well that he was.

"It happened about a month after you left. A client requested I represent him the day before his trial. Long story short, he vanished before the verdict was handed down, leaving his daughter Trucy behind. As if that wasn't enough, a piece of evidence that was given to me that morning was proven to be a forgery."

Edgeworth's eyes widened. "You presented forged evidence?!"

"I didn't know it was!" Phoenix exclaimed helplessly. "If I had, I never would've done something so stupid!" He buried his face in his hands, hating the sensation of oncoming tears. "I didn't have time to confirm its authenticity. It looked so much like it was a part of the real thing….I was careless."

"The Board's decision?"

"Unanimous, save for one dissenting opinion. After that, I felt so lost. I'd even thought about ending it, but there was Trucy. Her father seemingly vanished and there was no other family she could go stay with. I searched every possible way I could think of and found no one. I couldn't just abandon her, so I asked if she wanted to live with me or go somewhere else, and she chose me. She's been surprisingly positive considering everything that's happened, and I know she tries to keep my spirits up, but…." He broke down completely, tears streamed from his eyes and his breathing became erratic as he sobbed. "It's so hard, Miles. I know what people say about me. That I'm a fraud, a cheater, a filthy liar, a piece of shit. I know they're looking into all the cases I tried to see if anything was out of place during those. My entire career is in question from one stupid mistake. And then learning how to be a parent, taking care of her, making sure she's okay, shielding her from everyone's hate and spiteful comments….There are days I just want to give up." He furiously wiped away the relentless tears and stared straight ahead. "But then she looks at me and smiles and says, 'It's going to be okay, daddy. We'll make it.' She's shown me so much love and understanding in the short amount of time she's been with me. If it weren't for her….I probably would've gone through with committing suicide."

Edgeworth had listened to the entire admission silently, watching his friend come undone and feeling his heart shatter at the sheer pain Phoenix was holding onto. He was horribly nauseous and overwhelmed by the reveal. Unsure of what else to do, he inched closer to Phoenix, embraced him lovingly and held him against his chest as he wept.

"I wish you would've told me," he whispered into the man's black hair before doting a kiss on top of his head. "I wish I could've helped you."

"I didn't want you to know."

"You wouldn't be able to hide it from me forever. Trucy is proof of that."

"I'm a failure, Miles."

"Don't say such a thing. You are nothing of the sort."

"I can barely afford to take care of myself, let alone give her a life she deserves. I couldn't stay in my tiny apartment with her. I know this one is pretty small too, but at least she has her own space. Unfortunately, it's expensive as hell and I'm barely making ends meet. I'm terrified there will come a day where I can't even afford to feed her."

"Are you working anywhere?"

"I play piano at The Borscht Bowl Club most nights."

"I didn't know you could play."

"I can't. Not really, anyway. The main draw is people come to play poker against me. Rumor is I haven't lost a game yet, and the seriously competitive players find the challenge a thrill. No gambling involved, though I get a bonus on my paycheck whenever I win."

_I didn't know you played poker, either, _Edgeworth reflected.

"Trucy grew up in a troupe of magicians, so she'll put on shows sometimes at the Wonder Bar to bring in some money, but….it's barely enough."

"I'll help you, then."

"No, I can't let you do that."

"Don't let your pride get in the way, Phoenix. It's what a friend does. And if you don't want to consider it for yourself, then consider it on behalf of Trucy."

There was a brief pause. Phoenix at last nodded and hiccupped, "Okay. I'll pay you back, I swear."

"If you get to a point that you can, alright. Don't worry yourself over it, though."

"Thank you, Miles."

"You're welcome. Now, do you have any idea why that evidence was forged and by whom?"

Phoenix shook his head. "I don't. I've been working on trying to uncover the truth, though it's been a slow process."

"Whatever assistance I can provide, let me know. I will do whatever I can to help you."

Phoenix snuggled against the other man and whispered, "Thank you."

Stroking the man's hair gently, Edgeworth said, "I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you through this. If you had told me, I would've come back immediately. I didn't understand why you wouldn't return my calls or messages. I'd almost believed that you had found someone else and didn't want to tell me. I never would've imagined it was because you were hurting so much to the point you felt you couldn't reach out."

"I didn't want you to think less of me," Phoenix confessed with slight embarrassment. "And I was afraid….you would be like everyone else and think I was a liar."

"When have I ever believed you to be a liar? Wasn't I the one who defended you the first time?"

"I know….I'm sorry."

They sat in silence for almost twenty minutes, unaware that part of their conversation had been overheard by another. Having a hunch that something was bothering the man she now considered family, despite his cheerful display the minute the stranger arrived, Trucy had crept out of her bedroom to try and further investigate. She'd quickly become sincerely troubled, angry, and sad upon witnessing her father so distraught. Her initial instinct was to stomp into the living room and scream at Edgeworth, who had wrongly been deemed a "friend" since it _had_ to be his fault that her daddy was crying and so upset; she felt it was her duty to protect him just as he always did for her. However, when she sensed how soothed and comforted he was in his friend's embrace, her aversion to Edgeworth dwindled considerably. Deciding that everything was alright for the moment, she snuck back into her room without a sound.

"Phoenix."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should get to bed yourself. You're exhausted."

"Is it that obvious?"

"I know you better than most. Besides, I know how taxing emotions can be, especially after you finally set them free."

"Can you stay the night?"

Edgeworth grinned. "I was hoping you'd request it of me. Even if all I do is watch you while you sleep, I can think of nothing better."

Phoenix smiled and pulled back just enough to gaze at his companion directly. "Surely I can stay awake just a bit longer to welcome you back properly," he said silkily, the hint of seduction in his tone and shining in his eyes.

Grasping the implication loud and clear, the prosecutor suggested, "Why don't we move to some place more accommodating then, hm?"

"Let me get things cleaned up and check on Trucy. I'll meet you in the bedroom."

Edgeworth nodded, finding it rather endearing that his friend was just like any other new parent – feeling the need to make sure his child was alright as often as he could. While he proceeded to the other man's room, Phoenix took their glasses to the sink, put the bottle away in the fridge, shut off the lights, and cautiously poked his head into Trucy's bedroom. Noticing the blankets askew, he crept toward the bed and readjusted them, planting a light kiss on the top of her head before turning to leave. Just as he was about to shut the door completely, he heard her ask softly, "Daddy?"

"Hm?"

"Is everything okay?"

The question caught him off guard. "Of course. Everything's fine." He forced a smile, though she knew he wasn't being entirely honest.

"Are you sad, daddy?"

_Oh no, did she overhear us? _he panicked. "No, I'm not sad," he lied. "Just tired. Get some sleep, and I'll do the same, okay?"

She didn't understand what he was hiding, only felt that it was _something_. "Okay."

"Night night, Trucy. Sweet dreams."

"Night night, daddy."

He waited until she closed her eyes and then shut the door, leaned back against it, and let out a heavy sigh.

_It's like she can see right through me. Every time. Nothing gets passed her…._

Remembering the next item on the agenda, excitement swelled within him, causing him to rush to his own room. The instant he closed the door, Edgeworth pinned him against it and immediately set out to accomplish what he'd been yearning for. They kissed one another with a hunger that rivaled how eager and impatient they'd been the first time they'd gotten intimate. Their bodies grinded against each other's, mouths insatiably attacking, hands clutching at clothing and trying to find the flesh underneath to touch.

With no words exchanged, Edgeworth eventually dropped to his knees and tugged down the waistband of Phoenix's pants and boxers. Phoenix rested his head back against the door, pleasure coursing throughout every inch of his body the moment he felt the prosecutor's tongue tease his cock. By now, his breathing was already heavy, and he moaned once Edgeworth encased him in his mouth.

After everything that'd happened over the months, having Edgeworth again made Phoenix forget all of it for the time being.

Placing a hand atop the other man's head, he gasped, "I think I could finish right now. Feels so good."

Pulling away just far enough to speak, Edgeworth gave his permission. "If you'd like. I don't intend to do the same so soon, however." His eyes were mischievous as he returned to his task with expert flair.

Phoenix chuckled. "Seriously, when you use your mouth like that, it's almost impossible not to."

Gracing his friend with a few more swirls of the tongue around his shaft before he stood, Edgeworth grabbed his arm and said, "Then I suggest we begin," as he dragged him toward the bed. They quickly removed their clothes, and now that he was fully naked, Edgeworth was shocked to see the amount of weight Phoenix had lost. He estimated it to be roughly thirty-five pounds at the least. Catching the concerned expression, Phoenix joked, "Do I really look that bad?" knowing full well the actual reason for his friend's alarm.

"Phoenix…."

"I'm fine, I promise. Don't worry about it, okay?"

Edgeworth stared at him in disbelief, though he recognized the discomfiture and hint of shame showing in Phoenix's dark eyes and respected his wishes of not wanting to talk about it. "Alright." The genuine, thankful smile he received was enough to have him re-focus on what they intended to do.

Pushing him to lie on the bed, Edgeworth moved on top of the other man and warned in a low, lustful tone, "I plan to make you scream."

Phoenix laughed. "You better not."

"And why is that?"

"Did you forget there's a child in the other room?"

"And?"

"And she doesn't need to hear that!"

"She's asleep, isn't she?"

"Well I hope so-"

"Then let me hear you." He lowered his head to begin placing kisses along the man's neck, collarbone, and chest while his hand inched downward to rub his cock. He grinned at the breathy whimpers he got in return.

"You really aren't going to make this easy, are you?"

There was no response, only more licking.

"Then I'm ready if you are."

"I have no problem with pleasuring you a while longer."

"I've been waiting for this for months. Fuck me already."

The abrasive command made Edgeworth look at him in surprise, which brought a devilish grin to Phoenix's face. Shortly after, the prosecutor smirked and offered, "Who am I to deny you, then?"

He moved to the bedside table to get a condom; however, before he opened the packet, Phoenix said, "I haven't been with anyone else, so if you want to do it without….Unless you've been with someone else…." he trailed off sheepishly.

"No, I haven't," Edgeworth affirmed, causing his friend to smile.

Exchanging the condom for the bottle of lube, he liberally applied it to his erection and positioned himself between Phoenix's bent legs. He took his time penetrating the other man's body, patiently waiting for Phoenix to relax and adjust to him before pushing farther in.

"Sorry," Phoenix huffed, his expression tense, fingertips digging into Edgeworth's back. "It really has been awhile."

"We have all night to rediscover one another. I'm in no rush."

Once he was wholly inside of him, Edgeworth demonstrated significant restraint by thrusting gently, reading the reactions on Phoenix's face for when he could become more vigorous. Just as Phoenix had felt earlier, Edgeworth was nearly ready to climax from the sensation of being joined with his dear friend once again in such intimacy after seven months of going without.

"Okay," Phoenix at last whispered. "I'm ready."

With a naughty grin, Edgeworth commenced a steady rhythm, each propulsion more powerful than the last. On the third one, Phoenix couldn't contain a loud cry of rapture, and he clapped his hand over his mouth to stifle the ones that followed.

"You can't deny me such beautiful, arousing sounds," Edgeworth chided and pulled the hand away to pin it above Phoenix's head.

"Miles! I can't-"

"Let me hear you."

Despite his best efforts, Phoenix practically shouted every time Edgeworth thrusted into him. The ecstasy he felt was unbelievable and intense, something he didn't know he needed with the person he didn't realize he needed just as much.

Semen spurted onto his stomach from his own cock after several minutes of Edgeworth pounding into him forcefully, and it wasn't too much longer before Edgeworth went rigid himself as he ejaculated inside of him. Both panting and slightly sweaty, they stared at one another lovingly in the hazy aftermath. With unspoken words, they knew one another's pain and regret, though more importantly, they understood the profound impact they had on the other. Feeling this so immensely, the urge to weep suddenly welled within Phoenix, and he turned his head away due to embarrassment as tears fell from his eyes. Edgeworth gently pulled out of him, caressed his face and hair, and murmured, "It's alright, Phoenix. It will be alright."

The prosecutor placed several affectionate kisses onto the man's forehead before lying beside him and embracing him tenderly. Nestled against his friend's chest, a sense of safety and comfort enveloped him like a warm blanket.

"Sorry I ruined the mood by crying like this," he apologized after almost ten minutes of silence.

"Don't be absurd. I'm simply grateful for being the one to console you. You've done so much for many people, myself included; I will do whatever I can to continue repaying you."

"Thanks Miles….I love you," he admitted softly.

Though he assumed as much, hearing the words for the first time made Edgeworth feel more content than he could ever remember being. "I love you too, Phoenix….I believe it would be best for you to get some sleep now."

"But we only had one round."

Edgeworth grinned. "We'll have plenty more opportunities to make up for lost time," he declared confidently.

Phoenix smiled, snuggled closer, and closed his eyes. With the help of Edgeworth's fingers stroking his hair, it wasn't long until he fell asleep.

* * *

The slight movement of the mattress woke Edgeworth the next morning, and he felt a twinge of disappointment upon finding Phoenix putting on his boxers.

"Up so soon?" he asked quietly.

"Hoping to make it into the shower before Trucy wakes up." Turning around, Phoenix added, "You can join me, if you'd like," and flashed a wicked grin.

From the gesture alone, Edgeworth was aroused. He hurried after the other man, and both were relieved to discover Trucy's door was still shut as they slinked into the bathroom. Amidst the actual process of getting clean, there were numerous moments of kissing and groping, which ultimately resulted in them reaching orgasm together in little time.

Once the mess was taken care of, they dried off, towels wrapped around their waists, and only after Phoenix confirmed Trucy hadn't come out of her room yet did they scuttle back into the safety of his to get dressed.

"Phoenix," Edgeworth began somewhat hesitantly after they had put on their clothes. He wasn't sure how to broach the subject, considering the way Phoenix had reacted the night before. However, the remarkable change in his appearance was troublesome. "Have you not been eating well?"

Phoenix became noticeably uncomfortable, and he reluctantly sat next to the prosecutor on the edge of the bed. "I guess it's just not a priority sometimes," he offered with a shrug. "Or I forget."

"You can't expect to take care of her if you aren't going to take care of yourself."

"I know that…."

"I do mean what I said last night. I'll help you any way I can."

Focusing on his fidgeting fingers in his lap, Phoenix said, "I don't want to inconvenience you-"

"It's not." He reached out to take one of Phoenix's hands in his and reiterated, "You're not an inconvenience."

"Thank you." Letting a beat pass, he then stated, "She might be up by now. She usually insists on making me breakfast on the weekends."

"That's very sweet of her. She seems like a nice girl." He enjoyed the instinctive, joyful smile that brightened the other man's features, showcasing exactly how much love he truly had for her.

"Yeah, she is. At the time it all happened, I didn't realize just how lucky I was to have her stay with me. Now, I can't imagine being without her. I think she does more for me than I do for her," he ended with a chuckle.

"I'm sure she would say the same about you."

The scent of eggs and bacon reached them, prompting them to look at one another and agree it was time eat.

* * *

"Morning, daddy!" Trucy greeted chipperly when she saw him standing at the edge of the hallway. She had a stepstool in front of the stove in order to be tall enough to cook on it.

"Morning, kiddo!" Phoenix replied happily.

She was about to say something else, yet the instant she saw Edgeworth behind her father, her cheerful expression turned into a scowl. Putting her hands on her hips, she growled, "I don't want him here."

Phoenix glanced at Edgeworth, who seemed just as stunned as he was, before prompting, "What's wrong, Trucy?"

"He hurt you."

"What?! No, of course he didn't. What makes you think that?"

"I know something happened last night that made you sad. And then I heard you moaning in pain, and I feel really bad because I was too scared to help you."

Even though he knew he shouldn't find it funny because she was sincerely upset about the fact that she didn't come to her father's rescue, not to mention she apparently hated him, Edgeworth had to work very hard at maintaining his stoic composure, despite knowing the truth about what she'd heard and the reason for Phoenix's now incredibly red face.

"I'm anxious to hear you explain this one," he snickered.

Phoenix shot him a look of pure ire before crossing over to his daughter and kneeling in front of her. "You're right, I was sad last night. But it wasn't his fault. He tried to help me feel better."

"Then why did he hurt you by making you yell like that?"

"Well, uh…._Well_…." While he was fumbling over his words, desperately attempting to formulate an explanation suitable for a child's ears, Trucy was awaiting his response with heightened concern. "You see….when two people – two adults – really care about each other, they show it by getting close and intimate with each other. So sometimes, it might sound like someone is getting hurt, but it's actually because that person feels really good."

"So he made you feel good?"

Phoenix swallowed to clear his dry throat, the mortification increasing. "Yeah, he helped me feel good. Miles is a very dear friend of mine, someone very important to me, just like you are, Trucy. I don't want you to have any bad feelings about him, okay, kiddo?"

She glanced at Edgeworth, who smiled kindly at her, and then back to Phoenix's pleading eyes. Assured that he was being honest, she grinned and exclaimed "Okay!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Phoenix stood and said, "Good. He's going to be spending some more time with us while he's in town, so you two will have plenty of opportunity to get to know each other."

"Can I perform some of my magic for him?!"

Ruffling her hair playfully, he said with a smile, "Of course." Bending closer so that only she could hear him, he added, "He doesn't believe in magic, so you'll have to really practice."

She put her hand over her mouth as her eyes widened in horror. "He doesn't?!"

Phoenix shook his head regrettably. "Not one bit."

The look of pity she gave Edgeworth made the prosecutor realize something was being discussed at his expense. "What is it?"

Phoenix held a finger to his lips and winked at Trucy, who nodded her understanding and grinned. "Nothing! You'll be in for a real treat, Mr. Miles! Everyone believes in magic once they see a Gramarye!"

Phoenix stifled a giggle from the utter puzzlement written on his friend's face. "Go ahead and take a seat at the table, Miles. We'll get breakfast served up in no time."

Adhering to the request, Edgeworth observed the two of them with fondness in his eyes. He witnessed the sheer delight Phoenix had as he helped her flip the frying pieces of bacon and sprinkle cheese, salt, and pepper onto the scrambled eggs. They were an inseparable duo now, each of them depending on the other to heal the wounds of the past. Smiling to himself, Edgeworth accepted the fact that there was indeed someone new in Phoenix's life. His only hope was that there was still room for him to stay and be a part of it as well.


End file.
